Tag: A Dialogue On

I’ve established many times what I have thought about the 20’s for so long I haven’t been looking to many people individually to make up the greatness of the 20’s but with Black Renaissance: Future History there are some names in there who’s paths I see myself crossing.

I see the opportunity for greatness right there for me, I have been told for the majority of my life there’s greatness there. It never took, I always searched within myself to see if a human good enough existed to create wellness for all, as that’s all I have ever wanted.

So many people have the opportunity to be great during this moment, the time we have in front of us is paramount, many of the people in their 20’s in the twenties have the chance to make a real name for themselves and create their own opportunity and life and own their careers if they truly are about it.

This is the thing we all have to take this time period serious. And accept what we see infront of us with open arms because the chance to be great is right there. So is the work though, so many people are scared of the work. Not even just the big picture vision, like me so many people are annoyed and feel put off by the little things you have to drop for the greatness.

Normality is a ditch, a warm and cozy one. You have walls the warmth of the hive mind and the unattainable sky to look to but never grasp because it’s so out of reach. And in greatness we have to dig deep and dig far, look crazy in the process because the ditch of normalcy is so cozy what’s the point in going further down. But us who know there has got to be something down there when you dig further down only so you can go up the long way. In doing that you look completely crazy to the Normal crowd but you’ve got to know deep in you having the normal things isn’t all there is to life.

Disclaimer. This isn’t the whole of the UK this is only what’s visible to me. I’m sure there are long standing businesses that have been flourishing however you don’t know what you don’t see and hopefully this can be a way to see these people show themselves.

At this time so much of what I speak about is the culture of Britain and the people who use the information highway to communicate, I feel that in this part I would like to talk about when where and how we congregate. Be where we are, in London there’s a big idea going on; we understand collectivity, connection and a safe spaces;, London didn’t offer for us. so a couple of black 20 something’s so few stepped up to the plate and created functions with quality offerings.

But first.

Shoobs

The marketplace and home where almost all tickets are sold owned by a black business woman on her hustle and well on her way to the top this app served us best when wanting to give a brand these events hosts can trust.

Recess

A casual night for people who don’t want to be constrained by the false standards of central London clubs, based somewhere in the north and Shoreditch for a while. Recess made it into my eye-line just by friends who are on Twitter and want to go out however it’s all the way in north so can’t be travelled by me often. It gives you real house party vibes which I enjoy.

Jays Link Up

Jays gives off exactly the same vibe as recess super casual and fully open for people who don’t want to be held back by the dumb nature of club nights not owned by black people and instead is in place for people who want to have a good night filled with games and good music we all know and love. Curated very well I enjoy the atmosphere they bring to the scene

Days Like This, Brunch

Great for summer days for those that like a more dressed up day. More impress and less smart, the idea is to come for fun with cocktails and vibes. Never been. But from what I’ve heard it’s quite enjoyable, everyone dresses up, something light and comfortable and looks like a night I’d enjoy.

NNESAGA

One of few games nights I know my friends to go to dedicated to serving a social setting purely for people who love to play computer games, watch film, comics & manga, cartoons & anime, it’s as space made by people you know so it’s catered to the needs of the individuals around them. So it’s everything the people who enjoy those things want.

Faded & Lux

A night that I feel many people know about due to the podcast the hosts share together, Marvin and TazerBlack host a parties on Saturday(Faded) and Sunday(Lux) respectively. Somewhat spaces for a somewhat older crowd who want a nice night out dressed a little “smarter” or impressionable. Lux being the only one I’ve been to, is a quaint games night for a calm Sunday with some good music and good food.

Love in the City & Project Impact.

Both nights made to meet people for a cool date or linkup, as in speed dating and drinks. For business purposes or something a little more personal both these nights curate moments for people to interact. Dressing with your best foot forward you’re prompted to get to know people through games or natural conversation, nothing too forced as the place is set to get to know who you need to know. Black professionals who need a night out to be fruitful and not just a vibe usually go here and have fun. Project impact I know has been a long-standing event (2012) deserves its own article over all but this is only a list.

Editors Notes

That’s my short intro to some of the place I know where you can catch a vibe or meet likeminded people. So many of these nights I know are used by people who want to be able to see their twitter friends in real life or conveniently meet their person of

Disclaimer. This isn’t the whole of the UK this is only what’s visible to me. I’m sure there are long standing businesses that have been flourishing however you don’t know what you don’t see and hopefully this can be a way to see these people show themselves.

Black British culture is based on diaspora, many of us are from arrivals in the 80’s and 70’s. Even further on I suppose but the majority of entrepreneurship is based on the back of the arrows the old guard took with their inability to succeed because of barriers, the incoming generations of the 80’s also dealt with much of this difficultly and I suppose without the interconnected nature of the internet our generation would have too, but we have created a network of dependence around each other and being able to speak while in comfort has had people come up with ideas of how black British entrepreneurship looks like.

Some people took advantage of this and others took their time away from it and built their own thing without. Both superbly well done. But the network is there and people are flourishing from it which is everything our generation aspired to in the early 10’s.

Here are some of the culturally African Caribbean companies & people in britain that are in my purview. Those that I hope will be around for quite some time.

Stormzy

The local favourite I was introduced to via his tapes dreamers disease and wickedest Skengman. Around Wickedest Skengman 3 stormzy was gaining a reputation of being a shellers, every set was shut down and it was when the Charlie Sloth cypher when he really shone through out of the old era and the youngers and killed it off. After dropping Shut Up which became the UK anthem for sometime along with Skeptas Shut Down.

Stormzy was able to get his name in lights all over Britain, him staying true to himself and not bending to the media has him being a sensation within the culture, outside the music he has his own publishing company for books and scholarships given to black students he stays true to who he is and is a testament to being steadfast in his vision making him a staple in UK culture. This man will continue to shell it down in business and music because that’s just who he is wish him all the best.

Samuel Ross

Founder of A Cold Wall, Samuel Ross is a fashion designer who came up in the same era as me and could be considered my contemporary in a couple regards as we draw from the same influences from what I can see. Those being Raf, Rick, London, Samuel is someone who was ambiguous to me for quite some time only because he was working under Virgil Abloh but soon broke out of his house and became who he is now.

Working off his thesis which is what A-Cold-Wall is and built a successful name off it not just doing fashion but interior architecture and sound design he build a style from his mind to life. Those are things I commend so much because I am doing the exact same.

Krept & Konan

Their relationship in music is so long-standing and dynamic is so powerful it deserves its own blog and this isn’t a music blog. So I will keep this clear, their ventures outside music is what we should behold and who they’re partnering with too. The plain and simple fact they’re exposing people to names, faces & titles we wouldn’t rather know.

The fact this trifecta of Krept & Konan, Urban Financier and J2K. Who all deserve a blog of their own but are all people who deserve research from whoever is reading this anyway. As the point is these 4 gentlemen of the same London but different lives lived have come together in one capacity or another from Krept and Konan’s foundation to their restaurant. I find the idea that these men worked together on an ideal and put their expertise together in different areas and fields to create something harmonious. This is something I want to call rare because I don’t get to see that all the time and knowing that we all are from the same place and from my perspective came up on the same codes , their ventures all became successful because they were themselves and they were able to come to the table humbly and be effective because they each respected where the other came from.

I haven’t a clue if this was purposely done by Krept & Konan, but they deserve a well done and their ability to partner with the right people on different ventures should be commended because it’s not everyone who can do such a thing successfully.

Trapstar

The conglomerate of good friends from west London since 2006 who came together one after the other to build a fashion label made for the streets. Designing for the culture. which is what it’s all about the long-standing brand was built of friendship and co-signed off friendships. No game was played here just natural organic growth that has lead to worldwide recognition after sustaining a level of clean design and catering to the culture with a helping of exclusivity. Many ways especially in recent years a plan akin to supreme take the culture make garments of the culture and continue to feed the beast of exclusivity and fomo

This company really bears some similarity to my life although it happened on the other side of London how they lived and how the company was bought about is akin to what I lived. From the fashion to the events, they tell their own story well so much so that creating something out of London like Trapstar is more viable than anyone thinks and their story can be told simply by following the echo of Trapstars voice but in their own way. Also telling the story of people being able to come together and create something long-standing, hope they continue living that message for many years to come.

As you can very well tell, this website journals about fashion on the most part. The reason for this is I felt that the ideas and concepts put forth by black designers or contemporary to the old norm, were not being journaled properly.

The culture I grew up in was spoken about in a less than form, or even worse “that thing over there” and when they called it streetwear or contemporary fashion it would annoy me because the fair majority would dress in that way. Which is why it’s Fashion and contemporary to nothing, other things are now old hat

There was a real ugly period from 2011 – 2016. Where the people writing about Fashion from black Fashion Designers would speak down, look down and write with a certain type of side eye about my brothers and sisters. They are designers. As simple as that and they reference and have studied just like all the other designers in the world.

It’s not a question of being better or worse it’s the understand of what is the new norm and as history will tell it the black fashion designers were ahead of the curve which is why this subject is extremely exciting to me. So I write about the leadership and foresight shown by those in the list are the reason for this list.

Shane Oliver

The leader of the Hood By Air collective and movement who started in New York with all his pals in soho living life like artist and trendsetters. When I was younger I would hear a lot about Soho and that crew because of ASAP Rocky and Ian Connor. There are stories and nuggets even someone from Britain would hear.

I appreciated his outstanding nature and as the story goes, Shane along with Ian Isaiah and many other names really bought together the hood by air incubator of talent. Coming out the gate shouting this is us and because of that received so many arrows in the back for all of the things they were doing which were then copied. But the essence never left.

Hood By Air Team

Shane would soon leave making fashion items and throwing shoes because of how the industry would treat him but now there is a real bid for him to come back and bring back that essence Hood By Air one had. This is now history and I’m really looking forward for what he would do in the future for more history and how he would share with us his experience of doing fashion, with the audacity of being black.

Kerby Jean-Raymond Pyer Moss

Kerby suffered just like Shane suffered, even more so he suffered alone with no real support system or friends, only his love for fashion, sneakers and black people he put himself in positions to be under the tutelage of people who were willing to teach. This however didn’t stop him from being robbed backstabbed and contractually broke Kerrie went through it not only financially but with the killing of unarmed black men by cops Kerby hard only one way to express himself, through his collections.

They showed the real angst of being a black man under tyranny. This hurt the white people’s feeling a lot and they all felt the need to act out against him and effectively put up wall to ward him and his work from growing. But as of recent with his reebok deal Kerby is able to support himself again.

He is only picking up steam and his Pyer Moss Reebok DMX is turning the heads of sneaker heads everywhere. Making them look at him positively also putting clear light on his collections too and he is delivering all 2019. This will only pick up more momentum as the time goes on and hopefully he will reach greater heights in the 20’s.

Telfar(Global) Clemens

Someone I’ve been following for a long while now Telfar is a true artist. Been at this for a long time and been truly a man after the craft from the collections I’ve seen. Since 2015 I’ve enjoy watching his growth. Someone I’m fairly new to and whole history of 14 years hasn’t been discussed says a lot because it’s not like he’s been asleep his really been working. Currently I’ve been looking at his tote like a luxury item I would love to have and I have been drawing it in my fashion illustrations giving a lot away.

Telfar also gained the 2017 Vogue fund finally getting into the eyes of the “masses” which has had him referencing his older collections or rehashing his archive for a while. But soon the girls will be all caught up and get where he is coming from. Having been in the game for so long, I am sure he really put that money to good use preparing for everything that will happen next decade I feel he’s gearing up for something just like Shane and Ian. Having worked together it’s plain to see The New York scene is turning into a hub for established designers

Something really near and dear to my heart, when it comes to business, pure business. I think of two things; finance and tech. Being able to make investment based on future projections and being able to create new platforms and systems based on what people need. It’s all a matter of platforming the right ideas and advancing the human race so the remedial things don’t need to be thought about as much and the tasking things can be simpler & automated.

The point of human advancement is technology, smarts, cerebral thoughts and making them things. How can we preserve food smoke and salt all the way to now where food is sourced and farmed within hours.

These things are Uber important and there are certain people who have thrown their hat in the ring to say that now is the time & I’m going to be the example for people to follow. I’ve picked a couple of people with an array of skills and specialities. These are a couple who I think have potential to be around for quite sometime and a couple principles that I hold near and dear.

Jaden Smith

I have been tracking this mans movements since he was 14 or so, I regard him as one of the free black men we have. Being born as a household name this young man has carved his own lane, separate but part of his family dynasty and although we were born apart he is the link between a freedom we should all have.

A young Jaden done 2 things that caught my eye, created a water company and created an album named SYRE,

The water company (Just Water) creates fully recyclable water bottles a simple and effective idea from the early days of the go green initiative. He saw a problem from early and he filled the need, something I saw in myself. When I was just a boy I saw how easy it was to recycle so I started to do so and have been doin so since. Now this man as a teen created a company with the desire to remove plastic from the pipeline of single use items.

His Album (SYRE) was a paramount album that showed me where his head was at by the subject matter he chose, he showed he was clued in and detailed his understanding. He made a quartet called BLUE which was such an intro to have in an album and showed his seriousness to music which I appreciated. It made us know he wasn’t just a rich kid making music but he had something to speak on, he has a message and spoke to the unspoken

Those foundation this man has tells me he will be part of the establishment and seen as a statesman in the coming times

Harlem Capital

The company born out of necessity, some of us in the house know there’s not many of us out there (in terms of black folk) therefore for the most part we lack the access necessary to create a significant change. This company is starting to become a sort of bridge between the those that need and those that don’t know.

The young men in Harlem Capital are among themselves known and branding themselves well within reason to show to the qualified companies they are there if needs be. Tech is a big deal to HC having a stake in Blavity and all but it’s Business, they invest in businesses that need that bump extra cashflow liquidity or their experienced minds to see things they haven’t seen.

The young men John Henry, Henri P. Jacques, Jarrid Tingle & Brandon Bryant come from different backgrounds of different experience types and levels and together create a hive mind called Harlem Capital where their understanding of different sectors have made a good number of their investments worthwhile and have awarded them a spot on the coveted Forbes 30under30 list.

Their New Money has got them notoriety and it’s not everyday an investment company WANTS attention but it’s necessary to lift their light for them to be a beacon in the community, their visibility let’s,

people know they’re real

People know their success is achievable

A company of their kind can work

There are people willing to serve the underserved

Let people who want to do what their doing have an example good or bad

With those points Harlem Capitals frontmen John and Brandon continue to Brand their company effectively, getting them attention and their effectiveness has attracted old money to their company in the form of TPG Global, a company invisible to me till recent but their portfolio speaks for itself. I can’t get my head round the aristocracy of it all, I really want to see where this partnership ends up in 20 years but for now, as we approach the Twenties Harlem Capital are aiming high.

Iddris Sandu

This young man started early by happenstance and he had a great story to tell working for multiple Silicon Valley companies he created an expertise and initiative making him a high prize in the tech game. His story is still quite new and just like many of us still growing into the role of leadership but listening talking about his company co-sign after he got the Nipsey Hussle Co-Sign it will be good to see everything that he does with this attention.

Tristan Walker

Someone I’ve been following since the beginning of my 20’s dream, the awe I felt knowing someone like this exist and how he was really a beacon for innovation to all the people in attendance who aspired to be in tech. Combining a Co-Sign and investment from has and really intrenching themselves in the culture early and focussed on a singular customer building that base and expanding it is great to see that happen.

It is a real thing, my ‘lighthouse theory‘ being the guiding light to those out in the unknown and causing sparks to fly. He was what he was. He did sell part of his company to Proctor and Gamble the same company who own a stake in his supposed main rival Gillette who soon after came up with a razor with a similar message I would like to see where this all comes into full circle. I don’t see the idea of selling to your main rivals company but in the 20’s he will be someone to watch for better or worse.

I am of the pure belief that our generation is creating history. Why does everything feels so new and so fresh? My thesis for this is because we are the first ones of a breed who are able to read, simply this is the first time an abundance of black youth have been able to read and this number is only going to expand exponentially.

We also have the luxury of time and space to build our own authority with new platforms and democracy of information we’re able to create ecosystems for us to succeed in the economy. I also believe we are inventing a new road of scaling through the ranks and for the few chosen and initiated they are uplifted by their ecosystem making their light shine brighter.

It’s not further than the generation prior where these peoples parents did not read or have the average college education. So this is really a prosperous and luxurious time. Much of what I see in the future is the understanding that whatever we do now will have direct ramifications to our grand-youth. That youth will look back to this time and see all the positive things we do and wish they were around during this time, we are approaching the golden age; the twenties will be the start and defining time.

With this black history month I want to shine light on a lot of my peers who live in their own ecosystem or are takin advantage of the time, much of my character is I only need to see it once and I’m going to give you a little under 20 examples of black people thriving within and without the current system/ made their own ecosystem/ taking advantage of all the pro black sentiment going on.

I see us reaching a convergence very soon and the singularity will be culture uplifting. Being the beacon of excellence in the Renaissance of youth that will be our thirties in the twenties. The twenties will be a very real time for us and I’m takin a bet on the positive, overlooking all the negative and taking in everything good about us starting with these brands and businesses which are only a few of hundreds and are really only centred around US UK diaspora. This Renaissance is not exclusive to this area this Renaissance is worldwide I see amazing things happening in Nigeria and Ghana as well as South Africa/ Zim area. All of which will be spoken about.

We speak about colour and pieces and communicating codes and messages in clothes but we haven’t had the conversation of the principles of style. I spoke about my style philosophy now its to get on the principles

I want this to be the start of the era Style is at the pinnacle and first in mind over brand name or face. We do not dress to show we have money no more we dress to show we have style and to tell a story and communicate the codes of ourself.

Example of Communicating Codes

There are people out here who don’t dress by just style they dress by pieces of a designer they love because the designer tells a story through clothes. This is the height of fashion and the meaning of building a house. Not the luxury of spending a band on a top but the luxury of a designer telling the story you share together

Marni, Miu Miu, Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens, Early McQueen, Dries Van Noten Ann Demeulemeester all have a man or a woman they’re speaking to and communicating with through clothes.

The point of dressing in a designer is to tell the story or have them tell the story for you piece by piece you are recognised for delivering a code to another person in your clique or someone else to tell them you are part of this house.

The message for all designers that all designers should deliver is the hope or provocation of a man or woman wanting to style on themselves.

Move How You Like

For those of us without the want or need to communicate or relate to a Designer we dress by style. We do all the same things for ourselves and without the use of a house.

We practice the fundamentals of all the great houses and designers without making the clothes. Things I want to make clear in style everything goes and what’s not for you isn’t for you, you dress as yourself and no one else.

Editors Note

With me I like comfort as my luxury versatility as a key and layering as function. We all have our things we want to communicate how I was bought up is a big part of what I want but it doesn’t need to be I remember a time I used to only wear shirts and suits that time is gone that was still me but right now those things I named earlier are me now.

Now here are the fundamentals

Versatility

With versatility being high on my style slider I care about, how many places can I wear this one item? and how many things can it be paired with in my wardrobe? those questions need to be answered before buying an item and more-times it’s second nature unless it’s a totally new wave for me.

Simply answer those questions and you got versatility down.

Layering

This is one of the hardest to deal with in fashion and style in general I don’t expect everyone to have down asap at all. However layering is one of those that can accent, accentuate and make an outfit blow up out the stratosphere. People that are amazing at layering usually are done with simple and are ready for adept and advanced styling techniques.

Pairing an undershirt, shirt, coat and overcoat together with a scarf a hat and a pair of shoes isn’t simple and is what we respect about people who have outfits that do that. Keeping an outfit kosher but layered making it look simple effortless and relaxed makes you the best at styling.

Coordinating

Co-ords took over summer shorts and shirts bought together in a pack making it easy for a buyer. For me coordinating goes further than that when you have a tartan or a plaid and houndstooth or a pattern or a print bringing those together to make your outfit pop with different colours and sequencing.

These are the times where we can know who knows what in colour matching and print matching and pattern matching. Can you bring all those together simply not look like you’re overdoing it move like you know what you’re doing.

This right here along with layering is what separates the good from the great stylists

Storytelling

Just as when you wear a designer you’re communicating a message when you put together an outfit you want to communicate your own message, show people not only you know what you’re doing.

Who are you today what’s the story are you an international visiting, are you a fairy are you a dapper dan or pretty flacko you here for a good time or a long time here to dance, show off or floss, you not trying to do too much are you doing a lot with a little. Let them know who you fricking are you are that guy my guy. Give it to them.

Codes

Things we can’t escape the codes, especially being a black guys being dressed a certain way, in my most me I get more play wearing my suit than my hoodie or durag with white people outside I don’t know. In my trench coat/turtleneck/print hoodies I get looks & women are more available than in my simple toned down or quirky looks

I play to my strengths more time and like to communicate to all parties I can do all things with my character and demeanour than with my dress. It makes me feel more natural than communicating with clothes.

However when I have a mission I dress a certain way and I’m more manicured and simple than full quirk.

Pairing

Something everyone can address is how they pair all things simply pick a colour top or bottom or on your sneakers and match the colour with something else on your outfit.

Match your accents and secondary colours and have a through line between the colours or patterns your matching not many People can match fabrics but if you start with colour you’re well on your way to perfect pairing

Signature Piece

Showing yourself off a piece of clothing off by having everything be understated and down played apart from that one piece.

When you shop by pieces and not looks you are given the luxury of having one piece from a designer you really like and are able to do whatever you want around that piece. And that piece pops

Editors Notes

Some fundamentals are easier than others and usually you pick your thing and sample everything else. Doin it your way everything goes there’s really no limits and every fundamental has its own wormhole you can go down to transport you to the you, you really are. The only limit is your imagination.